Tesco is facing Britain's largest ever equal pay claim and a possible compensation bill of up to 4 billion pounds (C$7 billion), according to a law firm which has begun legal proceedings. It comes as a campaign for equal pay grows in the U.K.

Union calls temporary truce in Berlin airport strike

A man passes closed counters during a warning strike by ground services, security inspection and check-in staff at Tegel airport in Berlin, on March 13. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

BERLIN (Reuters) — Around 2,000 ground staff whose series of strikes at Berlin's airports have paralyzed air travel to and from the German capital will not stage further walkouts this week, while their employers have proposed mediation to end the action.

The workers — whose roles include check-in, loading and unloading planes and directing aircraft on the tarmac — are employed by companies including WISAG, Aeroground, Ground Solution, AHS and Swissport Berlin.

On Tuesday the employers’ proposed mediation in a bid to end the walkouts, which have led to more than 1,800 flights being cancelled over three days, equivalent to almost all the flights operating out of Berlin's two airports on the strike days since Friday. On Tuesday 578 flights were grounded.

The latest walkout is due to end on Wednesday, and the union said on Tuesday there would be no strikes for the rest of the week to allow management to make a new offer.

The union wants an increase in pay for ground staff to 12 euros an hour from about 11 euros as part of a one-year collective agreement. Management first offered about 10 cents more an hour over four years and then improved that offer to an eight per cent increase over three years.